katesuccess

Great suggestion Diann! Thank you. I'll email the RN who runs the program and ask about the fluids thing. Even stopping fifteen minutes before would be easier than 30 minutes, since I'm having to sip slower than before. Congrats on people noticing and getting new (I assume SMALLER) scrubs - yay! I've lost about 30 pounds since the pre-op started, so over a period of just about a month now, and so far the only comments from people at work have been how good I look in general, and that they wish they looked so well after surgery. I didn't tell them what I was having done, only that I needed some gastric surgery to correct a long standing problem. I look forward to needing new clothes though. Good for you!

If rescheduling surgery is not an easy option, (my doc was booked three months out --so no way could I have rescheduled !) consider whether this is a time you need to put yourself first, and have your surgery on time . Do something special for the bride if you cannot be one of her bridesmaids. Sometimes those of us who needs weight-loss surgery have had a long pattern putting other people first--that may not be you, but I know sometimes it's me! Also I gained 20 pounds of Fluid during my hospital stay, and it took me 10 days to lose them! No way would a bridesmaid dress have felt comfortable nor high heels or the rigors of an event that would last a few hours that soon after my surgery, but everyone is different. I was walking 3000 steps by day two though. Good luck!

Thanks MickeyMouse - I do weigh once a day, but I'll try to stop for a few days. I already upped my walking from 6000 to 7000 steps a day (3 miles or so) so maybe I just need to be patient. I wish I was not supposed to make sure I got fruits vegetables and dairy in every day, because that increases my calorie count, but the nutritionist said that is what will give me the most energy. I guess if I think about it, when I was only having 3 to 400 cal a day I was more tired than I am now. I'll just keep at it and try not to weigh in so often.

My fruit selection is super limited, just banana, pear and applesauce. (I was sleeved April 29, and after two weeks of liquid I'm now on three weeks of very soft foods.) and of course now I've hit the dreaded stall! I'm SO bummed about that! I knew it was coming, so I don't feel like eating my way through it or anything, but after seeing scale move a little tiny bit every day it is hard to see it just absolutely stuck for three days now. My surgery was so late in April, maybe most of you have already hit this and moved on, yes? How are you all doing with it? I have been walking a little more now but my calories are a little higher, but that calorie intake only moved from 400 a day on liquids - to 650 or so now on soft foods. What kind of limits you have? Any tricks that made the stall seem to go away faster? Sluggish me.

How great to read this! Thank you! I've felt about a third of those things just this week - i'm at that 30 pound place. You're an inspiration EarthyGoalie. Many thanks!

At 260 again today, so I may have hit the dreaded stall that people often hit at 2-3 weeks out!

Thanks folks. I wouldn't go against my doc's guidelines, which are no drinking 30 minutes before and ONE hour after! Aurgh! So hard to get all the stuff in I need to and keep track of what is left and when to do what. I finished 1 1/2 ounces of salmon an hour ago, and just tried some much needed water since I'm behind for the day -- still too full to drink it. And I still have more food I'm supposed to eat tonight to hit my protein goals.

I had my surgery 4/29 too, and have lost about 30 pounds since starting my preop (18 since surgery). I'm still fatigued often like you folks, but am getting my 6000 steps in every day so far, and 5 to 7 flights of stairs. I'm not yet allowed to work out with any weights or machines (no rowing, spinning, etc) but walking is doing well for me so far. I would like to start weights though - tone feels like it'll be harder to get going on since all I can do now is walk. I went back to work after two full weeks off, and am still really tired, so I was glad to hear one of you say what you did about 6 weeks or so. Something to look forward to! I'm also on mushy/soft foods still - we have that for three weeks with my doc. Most of it is going okay, but I find I still need to add half a shake a day to get my Protein up to 60 grams, which is my goal. Had a bad experience with deli turkey - just sat like a stone! Also with thinking I could add my small amount of dairy or veggies after my 2 ounces of chicken - SO not a good idea! I was too full without realizing it, and it just wouldn't stay down. Uhg. Much as I have always loved to eat, the thought of something like 6 mini meals is making me NUTS! Hard to get the waiting time in AND all the Water in. Sigh. But hey, down thirty pounds means I"m not going to complain. Kate

Thanks for all this - and to you too Fiddleman! I"m planning a backpack trip for July (sleeved April 29) and was wondering if others have had good experience with a water bladder instead of a water bottle only. It seemed like a way to get enough water since I can no longer stop and gulp and then go again like I used to. I can SO relate to Fiddleman's trip - I did that during my pre-op weeks, and had no water for my trip down - mine not as severe as yours, but a heck of a good lesson nonetheless. I love quest bars and PB2 also, so will keep those in mind. Any other tips from you backpackers out there? I'll be going with my niece who's also overweight, and working on losing sans surgery - so I don't have to worry about any explaining or rushing to keep up with a pace that's beyond me, thank goodness. I'm also looking into a way to rig a sleep apnea machine with a battery for the trip - might save us both! Kate

I adore my Fitbit One, and got one for my hubby too - and now he's actually tracking, walking and doing stairs! YES!! It's great - and works by encouragement and positive feedback - nothing negative at all. SO cool.

Having just boxed up a few winter things I've under-grown, I'm looking forward to NOT wearing them again, and to not wearing those couple of summer weight shirts I bought because they fit and were dark and shapeless~! I am however delighted to look at my closet and see lighter-tone clothes in happier shades, and looking forward to enjoying how I look in them soon, not just deciding I look as good as I can expect to given my weight. (Since I'm only two weeks out) I look forward to losing enough that I notice it!

I'd suggest going strictly by the numbers until you are healed enough to be able to clearly feel the difference. My doc gave me a schedule of how much protein shake to eat and how often, and how much water/fluids to have a day. That's what I stayed with for the first two weeks, and now I can tell pretty clearly the difference between head hunger and real hunger - but I sure couldn't until the last few days! Also try warm fluids if your stomach feel like it's cramping. Cold was hard for me. Tummy mint or Sleepytime tea were great for that! Hang in there girl, it'll get easier!

Oh RJ - you poor thing! I'm SO sorry you're going through this and living with such untimely pain. I'd love to have thought it over after surgery, but I agree about how good it is you have such a positive attitude. It makes a huge difference in healing I believe, and I'll keep you in my prayers in the days to come. Rest well and know that you make such a difference to so many MANY of us here. You've been a huge inspiration and truth teller for me, mostly with you not even knowing it - I love reading your posts. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and your story and your hurt now - I"m sure we'd all happily take a bit of it away from you if we could! Kate

Today I'm 263.5 --and just a half pound from my challenge goal. Yay!

Sometimes the urge is to eat something different from the sweeter shakes and Jello stuff. I'm finding cream Soups that are highly flavored with unflavored Protein powder are a huge help! They distract me away from salty/real food cravings and let me slow down enough to think about my eating and determine if its head hunger or stomach hunger. My favorite soup this week is a smoked salmon chowder (run through my magic bullet of course!). Try mixing it up more with allowable/recommended food before hitting pretzels again maybe? Good luck!

I like the trader joes ones just fine - no gassy after effects or bad aftertaste either. Good price too.

I'm also 13 days out now, and while I am up to walking 6000 steps a day now (2.5 miles) I'm still pretty easily tired. I do better splitting my walking up in two or three sessions too. My doc had us in liquids for two weeks after leaving the hospital so I have another two days before things like applesauce and yogurt, but blended soups are working well for me with unflavored protein powder. It's hard to count my weight loss since I gained twenty pounds of fluid in the hospital and didn't lose that dfore a whole week, but I'm down 25 including my preop diet--10 since surgery I think. I go back to work this week, and hope I don't feel too tired too fast - I still need to walk and am afraid I'll back off if I get tired. I guess I'll just have to plan better!

So, Monday was my 30th wedding anniversary. I'm proud of living and loving through thirty years, and I have a pretty wonderful husband and marriage and two wonderful adult daughters. However, this anniversary really pissed me off and I have to rant a bit. Feedback welcome even though this is a venting sorta rant. I knew he had no idea for a gift when he asked what the 'traditional' gifts were for that marker - so over lunch one day we looked them up; pearls or diamond. Fine - but I don't expect either of those really. Then I suggested since our anniversary falls during my busy work time, that we plan to take a little three day trip somewhere when we can both get away, and he liked that idea--in that way that says 'sure - if you'll plan it I'll go. Okay...fine. Our anniversary rolls around a week later and I haven't heard form him all morning about any plans, so I ask where we might go for dinner to Celebrate, not especially feeling like cooking too on top of super busy week. He really didn't have any suggestions, except to agree when I suggested something - so I sent him a link to a place and he made a reservation. He comes home and while nearly EVERY other year on our anniversary he's brought flowers, even sometimes the ones he proposed with, this time; nada. Then he goes out for a bit walking to the store nearby and comes home with pink tulips. Nice thought--however late it was. Not my fave color, but i like tulips and tell him so. We put them in a vase and head out to dinner. At dinner, I give him a card and a nice gift (new Fitbit which he'd said he'd like someday). He thanks me, and says he didn't really do anything for me but thought maybe later there would be something I'd need for surgery that I could pick out. (Really?! after 30 years of marriage that would be what - a pair of sweatpants?!) I say it's okay - and that really there's nothing I need for surgery. After dinner we took a walk at my nudging, did a hill climb of stairs to see a nice view, headed home and made love (sorry if TMI here). Still nothing to acknowledge the anniversary really. No card, no little thought gift, zip. Now I get that i'm huge (285) and have been for far too long. I get that he's like a 'more active intimate life' but once a week is about all I can handle feeling so big. I get that I let him off the hook some with the idea of a later trip. But hello; I do more than my share of keeping this marriage rolling, I earn half the income, I work more hours, and I still cook most of the meals. Why the h*ll couldn't he have at least written a crummy card or something?! Damn!! I've been thinking another thirty years together was something to look forward to, but this really felt lousy. End of rant. Kate

Oh KeeWee and WarriorBlue i'm jealous! I"m a week and a half out from surgery now (4/29) and just yesterday finally lost the Fluid weight from the hospital! Can't believe it took that long - and I had a drain in for two days in the hospital too. Didn't look like it drained that much frankly. Anyway, i'm losing now but not super fast. No trouble getting in the Protein and Water so far, but i'm much better with something flavored than straight water. Also ice cold doesn't go down as nicely as less chilled drinks. I'm enjoying adding unflavored Protein powder to purer thinned Soups - today I had a half cup of Ivars Smoked Salmon Chowder and loved it, and somehow that half cup was just plenty! Still, am a bit worried about going to the next stage and going over the calorie limit. I"m presently at 3-400/day until middle of next week. Good to be back on line though - I literally haven't been able to concentrate enough to go online and post with that oxycodone in my system. Wow. It completely addled my brain!

I was sleeved April 29 and then liquids for two weeks - so i'm still on soups and pureed stuff that would go through a straw (if we could use them - hah!) It's going well though and I have enjoyed finding a few savory soups i like and adding some water and unflavored protein powder and putting them through the blender. I get to do softer foods middle of next week though, and to tell you the truth i'm a bit worried about that much freedom! Anyone else feel that way? A sort of fear that with too many choices i'll want to try it all and stop losing weight.

My Monday weight (today) is 276 -- which is maddening since I'm 6 days post op and still haven't lost the hospital fluid weight. Aurgh - 20 pounds UP when I left the hospital. Oh well, my post-op appt is tomorrow with the doctors PA. I can ask her wha she thinks of this.

Glad to hear folks are doing well - I was sleeved last Tuesday and am doing fine getting water and protein in, but still haven't lost the hospital fluid weight. Drives me nuts! I literally went up 20 pounds in the three days I was at the hospital, and still have only lost 12 of it. Also I feel okay physically and am walking - my shoulders still hurt a lot though. Do I need more water? I'm getting 55-60 oz a day.

So any tips for the shoulder pain? I posted this on another thread because I'm getting desperate, but this is bad. I had surgery on Tuesday afternoon, so today is four days--seems like it should be getting better instead of somehow feeling worse. I'm walking a good bit--6000 steps yesterday felt like overdoing it, so today only 4300 steps. Walking helps my gut discomfort, but nothing touches the freaking shoulder pain! I've tried heat pad, moist heat, icy-hot and Biofreeze, cold packs, Gas-X strips and massage--and as above, walking. I'm at my wits end, even deep breaths hurts them, and makes it worse. Help! If it helps to know my surgery took an extra hour and a half because of problems getting tube down my throat and much worse hiatal hernia than they'd expected. Can't see how those would affect. Things, but this bites! Anyone have any thoughts?

Okay folks, I'm about wiped out by my shoulder pain here! I'm walking a good bit--6000 steps yesterday felt like overdoing it, so today only 4300 steps. Walking helps my gut discomfort, but nothing touches the freaking shoulder pain! I've tried heat pad, moist heat, icy-hot and Biofreeze, cold packs and massage--and as above, walking. I'm at my wits end, even deep breaths hurts them, and makes it worse. Help! If it helps to know my surgery took an extra hour and a half because of problems getting tube down my throat and much worse hiatal hernia than they'd expected. Can't see how those would affect. Things, but this bites! Anyone? Kate

It turned my surgery wasn't too smooth and they couldn't get me scoped, in spite or repeated tries (read VERY sore throat-- anesthesiologist even came personally to apologize). Hiatal hernia was worse that they thought, so whole thing took an extra 90 minutes on top of the predicted two hours. I definitely feel it! Good outcome though the doc said, which is all I care about in the end. The first night post-op my blood oxygen wouldn't stay up and I had a significant language barrier with my nurse. The oxygen alarm went off every ten minutes all night and no one could tell me why my blood oxygen was so low--the doctor came in and removed the monitor and said I was fine just using CPAP, and contradicted all the nurse had been saying. Still not sure why or what happened that night! He gave the option of going home or staying, but I still was in too much pain and worried àbout the low oxygen, so I stayed--good thing I did. Around 10 pm the second night I spiked a fever, which got up to 103 at worst. Ice packs (in neck and under arms!--verrrry chilly!) and Tylenol kept it at 101.5 a while and they said it would be better if I walked -- so two laps around the ward and it was higher. So doc called in Motrin. Eventually that did it, around 1am. Then at 1:30 or so the tech takes my vitals and my BP is 83/45! (86?I) My other arm tested worse, and so nurse comes and does it with looser cuff and it reads a little higher. Getting up and walking again, no better, so keeping closer eye on me and checking vitals more often -- gave me some other drug too. Now it's been up to 97/68 and this morning more like 117/55 I think. Good grief. I'll be glad to go home to bed for sleep and also so that (without checks and vitals) I won't know if anything's wrong! Got up this morning and had huge pain, so hydracone helped that thank goodness! I can certainly see how they think it's going to take a couple weeks of recovery! Kate The Not-so-patient Patient.